LWR began working in Indonesia following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, addressing emergency and long –term development needs. Indonesia is one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries with millions of people affected annually by earthquakes, landslides, floods and tsunamis. LWR currently implements projects in the agriculture, emergency operations and climate change/disaster risk reduction sectors in Indonesia.

The Project

West Sumatra Province is one of the most earthquake-prone areas of Indonesia. The province is located on the tectonic slab between the confluence of two major continental plates—the Eurasian plate and the Indo-Australian plate—and the Great Sumatran Fault. West Sumatra also experiences volcanic activity. Recent studies and seismic events indicate that a major and devastating earthquake and tsunami, effecting the islands around and the west coast of Sumatra, are possible due to shifting tectonic plates.

In response, through YAKKUM Emergency Unit (YEU), LWR is supporting activities to adapt to and mitigate the effects of potential natural hazards, changing weather patterns and environmental conditions in rural, coastal communities of West Sumatra, particularly to hydrological hazards.

This project has been developed specifically for West Sumatra, Indonesia. However, a separate and complementary project is being developed to address similar challenges for Surigao del Sur Province in the Philippines.